Accounts and Notes Receivable Notes

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Chapter 7ACCOUNTS AND NOTES RECEIVABLE

Accounts Receivable: An Introduction

Th e next stop on our tour of the balance sheet is accounts receivable, since it ranks immediately after cash and short-term investments in terms of liquidity.

When customers purchase a product or service from a company, they often do so using payment terms. In other words, they receive the product or service, but pay for it later usually on credit terms established by the company.

Accounts receivable represents the amounts customers owe as a result of the company exchanging goods or services in return for the promise to pay. Th is is di erent to the type of debt we discussed in chapter 6, where money is lent to another party in exchange for interest.

Moving down the current assets section of the balance sheet generally involves not only a decrease in liquidity but also an increase in risk. As far as the company is concerned, accounts receivable are riskier assets to assume than both cash

and short-term investments. Th ere is no market for trading accounts receivable since its value does not change over time the way a share price may.

Nevertheless, accounts receivable are an integral part of doing business in a modern economy. Sales may be increased by allowing customers to pay at a later date since some customers may be unable to pay for their purchases immediately.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Understand the importance of accounts receivable Account for bad debts using the direct and allowance methodsEstimate bad debts using the income statement and balance sheet approachesCalculate nancial ratios

Number of days sales outstanding Accounts receivable turnover

Apply controls relating to accounts receivable Record promissory notes and notes receivable Understand ethics governing accounts receivable

FIGURE 7.1

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Chapter 7 Accounts and Notes Receivable

Since many businesses have accounts receivable on their books, it is important to know how to record and manage them. Th roughout this chapter, we will take a closer look at how this is achieved.

Accounts receivable is a di erent type of asset from those higher up on the balance sheet. One di erence involves the way in which information about the asset is collected and managed.

Cash is held in a bank account and the bank provides the account holder with a statement outlining the movement of the cash and the status of the account. Indeed, it is the bank that is essentially responsible for handling the day-to-day administration of the cash being held in the account.

Short-term investments, such as stocks and bonds, are traded by expert brokers in a specialized market. Th e broker provides the investor with all the information related to the account, and the price and status of the investment is determined by the transactions on the market. Investors can readily receive updates on the status of the market. Th ese assets require very limited administration by the company.

Employees need to spend a signi cant amount of time on the administration of accounts receivable. In fact, perhaps nothing di erentiates accounts receivable from other current assets more than their day-to-day administration.

Even a business with a relatively small number of customers has many transactions to record and manage on a daily basis.

In the days before computers, transactions were entered into a journal. While a general journal may be used for transactions that are infrequent, accountants have often used specialized journals for transactions of a speci c nature. For example, a purchase journal can be kept to record transactions involving the purchases of the business, and a cash receipts journal can be used to record transactions involving the receipt of money from outside sources.

You may recall that income from a short-term investment such as stocks or bonds was not considered revenue generated from the business. Instead, this income was classifi ed as other revenues in the income statement.

Accounts receivable, on the other hand, form part of the foundation of the business, which is selling products or services to customers. An accounts receivable item represents a sale to a customer and thus generates revenue as part of the routine business of the company. That is why sales generated using credit terms are treated as operating revenue in the income statement.

IN THE REAL WORLDOne of the most prominent business trends of the

past decade has been outsourcing, whereby one company hires another company to take over a certain business function whether it be

call center duties or specialized manufacturing capabilities.

The accounts receivable department has not escaped this outsourcing trend. Accounts receivable may represent only a small percentage of a companys total assets; yet the administrative burdens associated with this asset can be overwhelming, and a companys resources in dealing with it are often inadequate.

To handle this challenge, companies have the option of hiring fi rms that specialize in taking over the accounts receivable function. Such specialists possess the technical hardware, expertise and experience to maximize this important asset.

Outsourcing accounts receivable off ers certain advantages, especially for those companies that dont have a good track record in managing this asset. Outsourcing can

improve a companys profi tability by having the asset managed and controlled more effi ciently;

make a companys accounts receivable function more consistently, thereby making customers more satisfi ed;

ensure fi nancial reporting is more accurate; and

allow a company to focus on its core business, while leaving some of the administrative duties to specialists.

Accounts receivable is an important asset for most companies. Leaving it in good hands is necessary for business success, and that may involve outsourcing the accounts.

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Chapter 7Accounts and Notes Receivable

Before the advent of computers, every sales transaction was entered in the sales journal. Today, sales transactions can be tracked using computer scanning and software, which can generate reports with the click of a mouse.

Sales Journal Jan 4 CR

Archer Limited Purchased 6 boxes of tiles $1,000

Beta Company Purchased 8 boxes of tiles 1,250

Cooper Inc. Purchased a cord of timber 1,800

Dunwoody Company Purchased spare parts 200

Archer Limited Purchased truck of concrete 2,000

Beta Company Purchased tools 900

Total Sales $7,150______________FIGURE 7.2

If only one account in the general ledger were dedicated to accounts receivable, the general ledger would be overwhelmed with many accounts receivable transactions. Th is is the reason why accountants use an accounts receivable subsidiary ledger, or sub-ledger, which is kept separately in order to track each customers activity. Th e total of the subsidiary ledger is transferred to the general ledger as a debit under accounts receivable (called the control account) and a credit under sales.

Accounting for Bad Debts: Direct and Allowance Methods

Th ere is an upside and a downside to selling goods and services to customers on credit. Th e upside is that selling on credit encourages people to buy. For the most part, people pay their bills when they are due. Th e downside is that there will inevitably be customers who will either delay paying their bills or will never pay. Th e latter are referred to as bad debts.

All businesses must investigate outstanding accounts receivable in order to identify and account for bad debts. Th is can be challenging because it is sometimes di cult to know whether the customer is late with the payment or is unable to pay. Assumptions must be made in this regard, because the records need to re ect the companys current nancial position as accurately as possible. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) provides two accounting methods for doubtful accounts and bad debts: the direct (write-o ) method and the allowance method.

The Direct Method

When a sale is made, it is recorded as a debit to accounts receivable and a credit to sales. Th is creates an asset that increases the equity of the business while generating what was recorded as revenue at the time.

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However, consider this example:

A customer informs you that his company has led for bankruptcy and is therefore unable to pay its outstanding account balance of $5,000.

When it is determined that the bill will not be paid, the direct method requires a journal entry to increase (debit) bad debt expense and decrease (credit) accounts receivable. Figure 7.3 shows the required journal entry for this transaction.

One drawback of using the direct method to write o bad debts is that it does not always satisfy GAAP, which stipulates that the expense must be recorded during the same period in which the related revenue is generated.

Th e write-o may be made in the same accounting period in which the sale was recorded; however, it is more likely to be made in a later period, which violates the matching principle. For businesses that experience very few bad debts or the dollar amount involved is considered immaterial to the business, the direct method may be used. In the above example, assume that the year-end balance of accounts receivable was $50 million and that credit sales for the year were $650 million, the company experiences very few writeo s and $5,000 is considered by management to be immaterial. In this case, using the direct method may be considered acceptable.

Th e second drawback to using this method arises if the customer is able to repay the account after the account has been written o . Figure 7.4 shows the journal entries that would need to be recorded if this occurs.

STOCK

Equity Decreased

$5,000 (CR)Bad Debt Expense

+ $5,000 (DR)

GENERAL JOURNAL

DATE DESCRIPTION DR CR

Bad Debt Expense 5,000

Accounts Receivable - Customer Name 5,000

Direct write-off of bad debt from accounts receivable

______________FIGURE 7.3

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GENERAL JOURNAL




To reinstate the customers account

You will need to reinstate the amount into the customers account. Th is requires a journal entry to increase (debit) accounts receivable and decrease (credit) bad debt expense, which will cause a reduction in expenses and an overstatement of net income for the current period. Unless the write-o and the subsequent reinstatement occur in the same period, the matching principle is being violated.

After you have reinstated the amount, you would need to make a second journal entry to record the receipt of the payment from the customer.

The Allowance Method

Since the direct method will violate the matching principle if the bad debt is not recorded in the same period as the sale, accountants have devised what is called an allowance for doubtful accounts(AFDA). It is located directly beneath Accounts Receivable on our Accounting Map, and is also known as a contra account because it is linked directly to and is the opposite of another account. In this case, the AFDA contra account is linked directly to accounts receivable, which is the control account in the general ledger.

Under the direct method, a bad debt is recorded by debiting the bad debt expense and crediting accounts receivable. Th e allowance method, on the other hand, uses the bad debt expense account and the AFDA to record bad debts in the same period in which the revenue is generated; this adheres to the matching principle.

For example, let us assume that at the end of year 1, your customers owe a total of $100,000. After analyzing the existing data and the current economy, it has been determined that $5,000 of the accounts receivable may not be collectable. However, since there is still a chance that you will collect, you will not remove them from the accounts receivable list.

GENERAL JOURNAL


Cash 5,000


To record receipt of payment on account

______________FIGURE 7.4

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Th e accounts receivable account of $100,000 does not change (you still hope to collect the full amount). It remains as a debit on the balance sheet. Instead, the AFDA contra account is credited with $5,000, which decreases the combined amount of the accounts receivable and the AFDA by $5,000, resulting in net accounts receivable of $95,000. Bad debt expense is in turn increased, or debited, by $5,000 and this amount is reported as an expense for the period in the income statement. Th e journal entry at the end of year 1 for this transaction is recorded as follows:

GENERAL JOURNAL



Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 5,000

Record an allowance for doubtful accounts

______________FIGURE 7.5

Th e AFDA contra account allows a company to account for the possibility that some of the accounts receivable generated in the current period will not be collected. Th e debit to bad debt expense supports the matching principle, since this amount will be deducted as an expense in the period during which the sale was recorded.

STOCKHOLDERSEQUITY

RETAINEDEARNINGS

STOCK

net receivable balance =

$95,000 (DR)

The Accounts Receivable account remains unchanged.

$100,000 (DR)

+ $5,000 (CR)

$5,000

Bad DebtExpense

+ $5,000 (DR)

CONTRIBUTEDCAPITAL

OTHER EXPENSESOTHER EXPENSESINTEREST,INTEREST, DEPRECIATION LOSS ON SALE OF ASSETS DEPRECIATION LOSS ON SALE OF ASSETS

DEPRECIATION

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It should also be noted that according to GAAP, any amount of money originally credited to the AFDA contra account, and thus deemed uncollectible, must be justi ed with backup documentation. In other words, a company must have good reason to believe that an account will not be paid in order to justify the adjustments made to the assets and expenses.

After companies anticipate a bad debt by setting up the AFDA contra account, several scenarios can exist:

A customer is unable to pay the debt and the amount is considered uncollectible.1. After an account is written o as uncollectible, the customer informs you that he or she will 2. pay the amount.Th e customer will not pay the debt because of a dispute3. .Th e customer is unable to pay the debt immediately, but will be able to pay it in the 4. future.

We will now examine each scenario.

Scenario 1: During year 2, a customer who owes you $250, informs you that he is unable to pay his account.

Th e amount is now considered uncollectible and needs to be written o .

Since the allowance method was used, a debit to the bad debt expense was recorded in the previous period when the sale occurred; therefore, the AFDA account will now be debited and the accounts receivable account credited to remove the amount from the companys records. Th e above entry will have no impact on the companys equity, since this was already accounted for by the original debit to bad debt expense in year 1.

Scenario 2: Th e customer in scenario 1 has experienced a windfall and is now eager to pay his account (which you previously wrote o as uncollectible).

Th is will result in your having to record two journal entries: (1) to reinstate the customers account balance, and (2) to show the amount being paid.

GENERAL JOURNAL


Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 250

Accounts Receivable - Customer Name 250

To write-off account as uncollectible

$250 (CR)

$250 (DR)

FIGURE 7.6

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Reverse the previous entry.1.

Record receipt of payment on account.2.

Scenario 3: Th e customer will not pay the debt because of a dispute.

Th is scenario is di erent from the rst two scenarios because it relates to a situation in which the customer believes that he or she has good reason not to pay you (e.g. the customer never ordered the products).

In this scenario, the sale is treated as though it never happened. Assume $1,000 worth of products was mistakenly shipped, and the cost of the products was $600. If the company uses the perpetual inventory system, the following reverse entries should be recorded:

GENERAL JOURNAL




To reinstate amount previously written off

______________FIGURE 7.7

GENERAL JOURNAL


Cash 250


To record receipt of payment from customer $250 (CR)

+ $250 (DR)

FIGURE 7.8

GENERAL JOURNAL


Sales Revenue 1,000

Accounts Receivable 1,000

To reverse the sale

GENERAL JOURNAL


Inventory 600

Cost of Goods Sold 600

To reverse the cost of goods sold

FIGURE 7.9

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Th is form of write-o results in a decrease in revenue, not an increase in expenses. Th is is important because if it is a material amount, the result could a ect the way a reader of the statements evaluates the companys performance.

Scenario 4: Th e customer is unable to pay the debt at present, but will be able to do so in the future.

Even customers with a good credit record sometimes take time to settle their bills. If it is relatively certain that the customer will pay, the company will take no action, except to periodically issue a reminder to the customer. Th e original amount debited to accounts receivable will remain on the books and will be credited when the account is nally paid.

Approaches to Estimating Bad Debts

Managing accounts receivable includes assessing how much of it will end up as bad debt. Th is not only has an impact on how a company re ects its nancial position on a timely basis, but also has implications for meeting GAAP requirements. In other words, businesses should always have good reasons for their treatment of bad debts and should maintain the necessary documentation to justify it.

We will examine two approaches for estimating bad debts: the income statement approach and the balance sheet approach.

The Income Statement Approach

Th e income statement approach, using percentage of sales, is so called because revenues from the income statement are used as a basis to predict future bad debts. More speci cally, a percentage of revenue is used as a basis to estimate the bad debt expense for the current period.

For example, if the collection history of a company suggests that 1% of sales will result in bad debts, that rate is used to estimate the portion of each periods sales that will not be collectible.

Total credit sales for ABC Company amounted to $1,000,000, of which $200,000 is currently owing by customers. On the basis of historical sales, 1% of that amount will be uncollectible. Th erefore, the bad debt expense for the period will be:

$1,000,000 x 1% = $10,000

GENERAL JOURNAL




To record bad debt expense based on percentage of sale

FIIGURE 7.10

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As previously discussed, the accounts receivable account, or control account, maintains the same debit amount, which in this case is $200,000. Assuming that the AFDA starts with a zero balance, it will now have a $10,000 credit balance. Th is leaves a net accounts receivable balance of $190,000, which represents a decrease in the companys assets. Th e income statement includes a debit balance of $10,000 for bad debt expense.

Even though it is called the income statement approach, the name derives from the way the bad debt expense is calculated. Nevertheless, adjustments must be made to both the income statement and the balance sheet accounts when accounting for the bad debt expense.

The Balance Sheet Approach

Th e balance sheet approach uses percentage of receivables to calculate bad debt expense. Th e percentage is applied to the accounts receivable account. Speci cally, percentages are often applied to accounts receivable according to groupings based on the age of uncollectible amounts. We will use an example to illustrate this procedure.

Th e chart in gure 7.11 contains three groups of customers:

those who have not paid within 30 days; 1. those who have not paid for 31 to 60 days; and 2. those who have not paid for over 60 days.3.

AgingCategory

Bad Debt %(probability of being uncollectible) Balance

30 days 2% 80,000

3160 days 3% 90,000

over 60 days 5% 30,000

Total 200,000

The above percentages are based on historical performanceFIGURE 7.11

$200,000 (DR) Net AccountsReceivable

$190,000 (DR) + $10,000 (CR)

+$ 10,000 (DR)

FIGURE 7.10

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A percentage is applied to each aging category. A 2% rate is applied to the rst group, 3% to the second group and 5% to the third group. Th e longer that a customer takes to pay, the less likely he or she will pay; that is the reason why the highest rate is used for the third group.

Th e Balance column of the chart in gure 7.12 shows the amounts that each group still owes the company. Th e percentages are applied to these amounts to calculate the expected total of bad debts per customer group. Th ese are then added to give us the total amount of bad debts expected in the upcoming period.

AgingCategory

Bad Debt %(probability of being uncollectible) Balance

EstimatedBad Debt*

30 days 2% 80,000 1,600

3160 days 3% 90,000 2,700

over 60 days 5% 30,000 1,500

Total 200,000 5,800

* Balance x Bad Debt %

FIGURE 7.12

Uncollectible accounts receivable in the upcoming period is estimated at $5,800. If there is already an amount credited in the AFDA contra account, it needs to be subtracted from the $5,800 total to give us the amount to record our bad debt expense for the period.

Let us assume that the AFDA contra account had a credit balance of $3,000. Subtracting that from the expected bad debts of $5,800 leaves us with a new credit adjustment in the AFDA account of $2,800. In e ect, this tops up the AFDA contra account, since we are adjusting it to re ect the total amount of bad debt expected.

We need to adjust the amount of the AFDA account with a credit of $2,800. Figure 7.13 shows the journal entry for this transaction.

GENERAL JOURNAL




To adjust the ADFA account to the correct balance

FIIGURE 7.13

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Note that this net adjustment of accounts receivable adheres to the principle of conservatism under GAAP, which requires assets to be valued at the lower amount of possible alternatives and, as a result, re ects a reduced income for the period. Th is approach allows the business to make decisions based on gures that dont overstate assets, net income or the nancial position of the company.

Managing Accounts Receivable Information Using Reports

Much of our analysis of accounts receivable has involved the method of accounting for accounts receivable in the companys books. Th is is important because these records give management accurate information on which to make good business decisions. Th is also allows companies to adhere to external reporting standards and principles.

However, another important aspect of accounts receivable is managing or controlling them. It is important for a business to know not only the amount of its accounts receivable but also which policies and procedures will lead to the collection of the maximum possible amount.

Having too many customers owing the company too much money on overdue bills restricts cash ow and working capital. Among other things, it limits the ability of the company to meet its commitments, such as accounts payable and loans.

Since the accounts receivable section of the balance sheet plays such a prominent role in the nancial well-being of a company, it is important that information about this asset is e ciently organized.

Fortunately, computer software is available to collect, organize and process information in di erent ways. Many reports can be produced to give management insight into nancial a airs in ways that raw data cannot.

+ $2,800 (CR)

Bad Debt+ $2,800 (DR)

FIGURE 7.13

STOCK

A number of strategies will ensure that a company manages and controls its accounts receivable. These include the following:

Commitment to effi ciency. Management commits to ensuring that accounts receivable are handled effi ciently.

Measuring results. After using ratios and reports to manage information, it is essential to determine whether these measures are working.

Cutting-edge technology. Having the companys technology up-to-date to provide accurate and useful information about accounts receivable will assist in informed decision-making.

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The Accounts Receivable Subledger

Th e list in gure 7.14 is a customer-by-customer list of outstanding amounts owing to a company; these amounts represent the total in the accounts receivable control account.

Accounts Receivable listing as at July 31

Current 31-60days61-90days

91days + Total

Archer Limited 1,300 900 1,500 3,700

Beta Company 1,200 1,800 1,300 150 4,450

Cooper Limited 1,800 150 1,950

Dunwoody Company 200 500 200 900

Harrys Supplies 4,000 3,000 1,600 1,200 9,800

Lino Inc. 400 600 100 1,100

Total 8,900 6,950 4,700 1,350 21,900

40.64% 31.74% 21.46% 6.16%______________FIGURE 7.14

Presenting the data in this form facilitates the analysis of accounts receivable by customer. It also highlights the gures that stand out from the others. In this case, the areas of note have been marked in yellow, red and green in the revised chart that follows.

Accounts Receivable listing as at July 31

Current 31-60days61-90days

91days + Total

Archer Limited 1,300 900 1,500 3,700

Beta Company 1,200 1,800 1,300 150 4,450

Cooper Limited 1,800 150 1,950

Dunwoody Company 200 500 200 900

Harrys Supplies 4,000 3,000 1,600 1,200 9,800

Lino Inc. 400 600 100 1,100

Total 8,900 6,950 4,700 1,350 21,900

40.64% 31.74% 21.46% 6.16%______________FIGURE 7.15

As the yellow and red areas show, two customers have bills outstanding over 90 days.

Th e yellow area shows us an amount of $150 from Beta Company that has not been paid for over 90 days. However, this is a relatively small amount, especially in comparison with Betas total amount owing. It could be the result of an invoice discrepancy or some other minor issue. Although Beta is one of only two customers with balances owing for over 90 days, management should not be too concerned about this balance.

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Th e other customer with a balance exceeding 90 days, Harrys Supplies, should certainly be a cause for concern. Th e amount marked in red, $1,200, represents a signi cant portion of its outstanding balance. Furthermore, the amount might be even more problematical, given that the same customer has been given $4,000 credit in the current month. Th is account is not being well-managed, and management should follow up with the company while also reconsidering the credit policies that have allowed such a situation to develop.

Th e green area of this chart is notable because, unlike all the other customers on the list, Cooper Limited does not have an outstanding balance for the 6190 day period. Furthermore, it has only $150 outstanding for the 3160 day period. Th erefore the $1,800 credit given to Cooper in the current period appears to be justi ed: this customer has paid his bills promptly and providing more credit for that customer would make good business sense.

Alternative Presentation Formats

Th e preceding examples represent just a few ways in which accounts receivable information can be organized and presented. Computer software provides unlimited possibilities. Management should tailor computer programs to meet the speci c needs and objectives of the company with regard to information about accounts receivable, bad debts, internal controls and all other related issues.

Th e reports that can be generated involving accounts receivable include the following:

Current active customers Past customers not active for the last 12 months Customer activities listing value of sales per month Customer activities listing value of sales per product Categorization of customers according to sales representative or geographic location Overdue accounts

Measuring the Eff ectiveness of Collections Using Ratios

Another approach to measuring the e ectiveness of the companys collection e orts is through the use of nancial ratios. We examine two types of ratios: days sales outstanding and accounts receivable turnover.

Days Sales Outstanding

One way of organizing accounts receivable information is to use days sales outstanding (DSO). DSO tracks how long customers take to pay their bills. Th is is done by using two basic gures

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from the nancial records: net accounts receivable (accounts receivable less allowance for doubtful accounts) and net credit sales for the past 12 months.

Th e net accounts receivable gure is divided by the credit sales of the past 12 months. Th e result is then multiplied by 365 (days in the year). Th e result provides the company with the average number of days that customers take to pay their bills. Th e following two examples illustrate the use and function of this particular ratio.

Company 1

Let us assume that the total average net accounts receivable amount for Company 1 is $200,000, and the total net credit sales amount for the past year was $1,200,000. Our DSO ratio is calculated as follows:Days Sales Outstanding = (*Average Net Accounts Receivable/Net Credit Sales) x 365 = (200,000 / 1,200,000) x 365 = 61 days*Average net accounts receivable is calculated by adding the opening net accounts receivable balance to the closing net accounts receivable balance and dividing the result by 2

* Net credit sales = Total Credit Sales Sales discount Sales Returns and Allowances

In other words, it takes an average of 61 days to collect amounts outstanding.

Company 2

Let us assume that the total average net accounts receivable amount for Company 2 is $135,000, and the total net credit sales for the past year were $1,650,000. Our DSO ratio is calculated as follows:

(135,000 / 1,650,000) x 365 = 30 days

On the basis of these calculations, Company 2 is collecting its accounts receivable from customers twice as fast as Company 1. Because of the importance of cash in operating a business, it is in a companys best interest to collect outstanding accounts receivable as quickly as possible. By quickly turning sales into cash, a company has the opportunity to e ectively use the cash for reinvestment and to produce more revenue. One of the most important factors that a ect DSO is the companys credit terms.

If both companies allow customers 30 days to pay for their purchase on account, Company 2 is doing well in terms of collection whereas Company 1 is doing poorly.

Accounts Receivable Turnover Ratio

Th e accounts receivable turnover (ART) ratio is similar to DSO. It involves dividing a companys net credit sales by the average amount of net accounts receivable.

ART = Net Credit Sales / Average Net Accounts Receivable

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Company 3

Company 3 has net credit sales of $1,000,000 and the average amount of its net accounts receivable is $100,000.

ART = $1,000,000 / $100,000 = 10 times

Company 4

Company 4 has net credit sales of $3,000,000 and the average amount of its net accounts receivable is $400,000.

ART = $3,000,000 / $400,000 = 7.5 times

A higher ratio indicates a greater ability to convert accounts receivable into cash. In this case, Company 3 is collecting its receivables faster than Company 4.

If a business turns its receivables over 12 times per year, it would mean that it is collecting the average balance of receivables every month.

Accounts Receivable Controls

Now that we have examined various ways of organizing, presenting and managing accounts receivable information, some of the information can be used to implement sound control policies. In other words, there is no value in collecting all that data unless it is used to better manage a companys accounts receivable.

Indeed, this is the purpose of internal controls to help a company get the most out of one of its largest and most crucial assets. We will look speci cally at how a credit policy can serve as a control mechanism to ensure that the accounts receivable asset is managed, protected and maximized in value.

Credit Controls

One of the rst issues a company should consider when establishing a credit policy is whether to adopt a lenient or restrictive approach to providing credit. Two broad factors can in uence such a decision: the companys own nancial position and its market position relative to the competition.

For example, if a company is already nancially constrained, it probably cannot a ord to extend credit to customers at risk. Similarly, low sales volumes for custom-made products leave a company with less room to extend generous credit terms. A company with little or no competition does not need to increase market share, and therefore has no incentive to adopt lenient credit policies.

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Decisions involving credit terms can have a signi cant impact on sales volume. Th e more lenient a companys credit policy, the more likely it is to generate additional sales. It provides potential customers with the incentive to buy goods without having to pay for them immediately. Th erefore, a more competitive market environment, homogeneous products and high sales volumes provide a company with greater incentive to extend more lenient credit terms to customers.

Credit Approval

Providing payment terms to customers involves making unsecured loans to the customers so that they can buy the companys product or service. Instead of automatically o ering these terms, a company can implement various measures to better understand their customers and follow up when necessary. Th is is the essence of credit approval. It can involve having the customer complete a credit application and update the information regularly. Th e company can also request a customers nancial statements to ensure that it is in a position to pay its bills.

Credit Information

Of course, customers may not always be completely open about their nancial health or ability to pay their bills. Companies therefore get independent credit information about customers from credit reporting agencies, nancial institutions and even from other vendors.

Credit agency reports can be very useful in getting up-to-date information on current and potential customers. Th ey can provide payment history, claims against the customer, banking information, existing credit granted, a record of recent inquiries as well as any credit ratings.

Terms of Sale

Another credit control at a companys disposal is setting the terms of sale. A certain period, such as 30 days, can be used and enforced against all customers.

Credit Policy

Finally, deciding on the methods of collecting from customers is yet another control in credit policy. Th e invoice is always the rst tool of collection. If a customer is overdue with his payment, the company can send a second. If that does not prove successful, other measures such as letters, phone calls and even personal visits can be used to put pressure on the customer. If all else fails, a collection agency can be hired to enforce payment, especially when the account is long overdue.

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Other controls for accounts receivable that may be implemented are the following:

Keeping individual records for each customer.Following up on large accounts that are overdue.Writing o a bad debt when it has been determined that all reasonable measures have been exhausted in collecting the debt.Ensuring that the original write- o is reversed when payments are received for a previously written-o account.

Converting Accounts Receivable into Cash

Having too many customers that are not paying on time, or not at all, can create serious problems for a companys cash ow and working capital. Certain measures can be taken to convert a companys accounts receivable into cash in the most e cient manner possible (see In the Real World later in this chapter for a description of one of these measures).

Setting Firm Credit Terms

Perhaps most important, a company should try to assess whether its collection period is stringent enough. Accounts receivable should not be extended more than 10 or 15 days beyond the credit terms. Industry standards di er, so assessing what the competition is doing, then setting a benchmark to meet or surpass those expectations, may be a wise business strategy. Setting a high standard and routinely enforcing it might improve the collection of accounts.

The Promissory Note and Notes Receivable

Th ere is another way to look at accounts receivable. In a sense, the transaction is much like a loan. Since the customers do not initially pay for the goods or services they receive from the company, the selling company is in e ect lending customers the money to pay for them until the loan is due. However, this loan usually does not come with interest within the credit period.

WORTH REPEATING...

Two factors are taken into consideration when deciding on how stringent or lenient the companys credit policy should be:

The companys own fi nancial situation. The stronger it is, the better it can aff ord to make sales on credit.

The companys competitive situation. The more competition a company has, the greater the pressure to extend credit in order to increase sales.

An important objective for any successful business is to maximize its control and management of accounts receivable. To that end, a company can establish a checklist of items to monitor how well it is doing in meeting this objective. Such a checklist may include the following items:

Is the staff fully trained to handle accounts receivable issues?

Is all sensitive accounts receivable information adequately secured?

Are invoices being processed accurately?

Are customers informed quickly enough of credit decisions made by the company?

Are third party collection agencies being properly monitored?

191


A promissory note, or note receivable makes an account receivable resemble a formal loan by adding precise terms of repayment to which the customer adds his signature.

For example, if a customer is overdue on her account, the company may request that the customer sign a promissory note, which would formalize the arrangements involved in the repayment of the debt much like a formal loan speci es its terms of repayment. Both a loan and a promissory note can set terms that include naming the parties to the document, the amount to be paid, when the amounts are due, as well as the interest charges related to the payments.

A promissory note, or note receivable, is used not only to formalize an accounts receivable item but also to extend unusual credit terms to a speci c customer, such as an agreement that may involve lengthening the terms of repayment to more than one year. In addition, the note can be used to extend credit to a customer with no formal credit history. Th e stronger legal claim associated with a note provides greater protection for the selling company when dealing with uncertain or riskier customer accounts. Provided that the seller is con dent the customer will eventually pay the note, there should be no objection to accepting the note.

PROMISSORY NOTE

At any time after the above date, the undersigned promises to pay the lenderthe sum of $___________ with ______ % interest until __________ 201__.The makers, endorsers, and guarantors hereof waive presentment, demand ofpayment, notice of nonpayment, protest, notice of protest, and all exemptions.

_____________, 201__

NAME OF LENDER

LENDERS SIGNATURE

NAME OF BORROWER

BORROWERS SIGNATURE

For example, on April 1, 2010, Kay Fernandez Alonso has $1,000 of outstanding accounts receivable with Bennet Company. Bennets year-end is October 31. Kay cannot pay the amount immediately, but is willing to sign a note. Th e interest is 6% per annum, to be collected when the note is due. Kay promises to pay on April 1, 2011. Th e entry to record the conversion of the accounts receivable to a note receivable is as follows:

IN THE REAL WORLDCompanies have various means at their disposal

to convert their accounts receivable into cash. One that has become more frequent in recent years is known as factoring, which can help a

companys cash fl ow and working capital in the short term.

Factoring involves selling accounts receivable assets at a discount price to a third party, the factor. The factor is then responsible for collecting payment from the debtor.

At one time a factor was brought in as a last resort only after all previous attempts at collecting failed, including the use of a collection agency.

Factoring has, however, now grown from $95 billion in 2000 to $135 billion in 2007.

Today, as it becomes increasingly diffi cult for businesses to secure loans, factoring is turning into a viable option for raising funds. The cost to the seller involves receiving a discounted price for the total value of accounts receivable. In essence, this amounts to decreasing the value of the company assets. However, it receives cash for its accounts receivable, and the discount price may be worth more than the amount the company could hope to collect from its customers on its own.

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On October 31, when Bennet Company prepares its nancial statements, it will need to accrue the interest earned from Alonso. Notice that the interest earned is classi ed as Other Revenue rather than regular earned revenue.

STOCK

+ $35 (DR)

+ $35 (CR)

NOTESRECEIVABLE

GENERAL JOURNAL


Oct 31 Note Interest Receivable 35

Note Interest Revenue 35

To record accrued interest revenue$1,000 x 6% x 7/12

______________FIGURE 7.17

When Kay pays the amount due on April 1, 2011, the following entry is recorded on the statements of Bennet Company.

GENERAL JOURNAL


Apr 1 Note Receivable 1,000


Converted accounts receivable to a note receivable

FIGURE 7.16

NOTESRECEIVABLE

$1,000 (CR)

+ $1,000 (DR)

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Explanation of this transaction:

Kay paid $1,060 (debit to cash). An amount of $25 was recorded as interest revenue by crediting interest revenue.Th e interest receivable of $35 was eliminated by crediting the account.Th e note receivable of $1,000 was eliminated by crediting the note receivable account.

An Ethical Approach to Accounts Receivable

As some of the discussion in this chapter has already illustrated, a companys accounts receivable asset can be both simple and complex. Its simplicity can be found in the fact that it is represented on the balance sheet as one debit gure in one control account, with a corresponding contra account representing the bad debt allowance. Th e asset will therefore have one net value, re ecting the balance expected to be collected from customers.

However, the complexity of accounts receivable is revealed by looking at the subledger. Th is consists of many transactions, which must be regularly updated to re ect ongoing payments or non-payments. Managing these accounts involves di erent procedures and requires various tools at the accountants disposal. We looked at some of these tools earlier in the chapter.

Th e company and its accounting department is responsible for managing these tasks accurately and ethically.

STOCK

+ $1,060 (DR)

$35 (CR)

+ $25 (CR)

NOTESRECEIVABLE

INVENTORY

$1,000 (CR)

GENERAL JOURNAL


Apr 1 Cash 1,060

Note Interest Receivable 35

Note Interest Revenue 25

Note Receivable 1,000

Record the receipt of note principal & interest ($1,000 x 6% x 5/12)

FIGURE 7.18

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Th ere is little dispute regarding the impact of the value of accounts receivable on the companys nancial statements and that the management and accounting of the asset is open to manipulation.

Various ethical principles and standards have been established to prevent or detect manipulation of accounts receivable. Here is a case study that illustrates unethical behavior, which violates the GAAP rule of disclosure.

Charles owns a manufacturing business, which has been growing steadily. His bank wants to examine his nancial statements before approving his loan to nance his increasing need for additional capital. His records show a total of $450,000 in accounts receivable, and he has earned net income of $80,000 for the current year. Charles is also aware that there is an amount of $50,000 that is likely to be uncollectible; however, he knows that if he allows for the bad debt in his statements,he may not be successful in securing the loan. Charles justi es his non-disclosure by committing himself to allowing for the bad debt the following year because there is a slight chance that he may still get paid.

What Charles did was unethical. He deliberately overstated the value of his assets to try to secure the loan. He believed that the debt was not going to be paid, but he represented it otherwise to distort the current value of the accounts receivable.

Charles consciously contravened the GAAP rule of disclosure by withholding information relevant to the valuing of these assets.

Let us look at another example of unethical behavior. Th is time we will examine the importance of maintaining the integrity of the accounts receivable information that a company collects and manages. A failure to do so can put into doubt the accuracy of the companys books, as well as the ethics of the people in charge.

Sophie has been hired by the controller, Rick, to manage the companys accounts receivable. Upon assuming the job, Sophie soon notices that the companys accounts receivable have been poorly managed. Th e computer system was old and the invoices were not detailed enough, thus leading to customers questioning their invoices. Furthermore, the company would increase prices on the date of shipment instead of on the date the order was placed. Customers would complain and did not want to pay invoices showing prices they had not agreed to.

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Sophie brought her concerns to Rick, who told her to keep quiet about her concerns and to do the best she could. Rick was afraid that he would be held accountable if the extent of the problems was made known to upper management, so he tried to hide the problems as much as he could. Sophie did not know what to do about the unethical accounting practices. If she remained silent, the integrity of the companys accounts receivable would be in serious jeopardy.

An accountant is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the information in the books. Rick should have dealt with these problems as soon as he became aware of them. Instead, when these problems were pointed out to him, he tried to hide them and absolve himself of any responsibility. Th e companys customers were being treated unfairly, the nancial information of the company was compromised and the tactics used in response to the problems were ethically unacceptable. Furthermore, he imposed an unacceptable dilemma on his employee, Sophie, requiring her to choose between her job and the proper management of the companys assets.

Unless Rick accepts responsibility for the problems and corrects them, he puts both himself and his company in a vulnerable position both nancially and ethically.

An important feature of the income statement approach to bad debts is that the calculation produces an amount for bad debt expense, rather than an adjustment to the amount of the bad debt allowance account, as in the balance sheet approach.

After the amount based on a percent of sales is calculated, bad debt expense is debited and bad debt allowance is credited. The idea behind basing the expense on sales is to appropriately match the bad debt expense with the credit sales of the period.

The total amount of the allowance is essentially ignored. Each period bad debt expense is debited, and bad debt allowance is credited. If the percent of sales used realistically refl ects the actual amount of bad debts experienced, the allowance account will refl ect a reasonable balance.

On the other hand, if the actual bad debts experienced are materially lower than the estimate (based on a percent of sales), the allowance for bad debts account may build to an unrealistically large amount. This would occur because the credit (i.e. the estimate of bad debts) is not matched by a corresponding debit resulting from actual bad debt write-off s.

If you observe that the allowance account is becoming unusually large, you could forego recording additional bad debt expenses (and the corresponding credit to the allowance account), until debits (i.e. actual bad debt write-off s) reduce the allowance account to a reasonable balance once again. What is a reasonable balance? As with many items in accounting, the answer is based on professional judgment.

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In Summary

Accounts receivable often represents a signi cant percentage of a companys assets. Since accounts receivable losses usually occur after the end of the scal year in which the sale was made, an allowance for doubtful accounts (AFDA) needs to be used. Th is procedure allows a company to conform to GAAP rules.AFDA is a contra account attached to the accounts receivable account. AFDA entries are recorded in reverse of the entries recorded in accounts receivable.Th ere are two approaches to evaluate AFDA: Th e income statement approach and the balance sheet approach.Th e e ectiveness of accounts receivable collections can be gauged with the use of two ratios: days sales outstanding (DSO) and accounts receivable turnover (ART).Accounts receivable can be converted into promissory notes, or notes receivable, which are legally binding documents.Credit controls and policies are necessary to manage and protect the accounts receivable asset.Reports are used to monitor paying trends by customers and ensure that credit terms are not abused.Since accounts receivable often represents a signi cant percentage of a companys assets, there can be a temptation to manipulate its value. Ethical behavior is therefore crucial in maintaining the integrity of a companys nancial statements.

197


Review Exercise 1

Part 1

You are the accountant for Booe company. Your company uses the direct write-off method for bad debts. Record the following transactions:

Sale to Guy Tygart on account 1,000 gadgets @ $5 on June 301. Collect $4,900 from Guy Tygart on July 102. Write off the remaining balance owing from Guy Tygart on July 313. Collect 50% of the amount written off on December 15.4.

Assume the cost of inventory is only updated at the end of the year (i.e. do not consider cost of goods sold for the transactions above).

Part 1 Answer


Jun 30 Accounts Receivable Tygart 5,000

Sales 5,000

To record sale on credit

Jul 10 Cash 4,900

Accounts Receivable Tygart 4,900

To record receipt of payment in part

Jul 31 Bad Debts Expense 100

Accounts Receivable Tygart 100

Direct write-off bad debts

Dec 15 Accounts Receivable Tygart 50

Bad Debts Expense 50

To reinstate customers account

Dec 15 Cash 50


To record receipt of payment

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Part 2

Using the same scenario as above, recalculate all the transactions and record the entries assuming that your company uses the allowance for doubtful accounts method.

Assume that $5,000 had been credited to the allowance account for the year.

Part 2 Answer

Review Exercise 2

ABC Company uses the Allowance Method to account for bad debts. During the current year, 2010, the company had $350,000 in sales of which 80% were on account and the remaining 20% were cash sales.

During the year the company received $250,000 from customers as payment on their accounts. In June, it also wrote-off $1,500 for a customer who notifi ed them they were fi ling for bankruptcy and would not be able to pay. However, the same customer notifi ed them that they had received money from a wealthy relative and would be able to pay their account early in the new year after the account was written off . The company expects that $5,000 of the Accounts Receivable balance at the end of the year may be uncollectible.


Jun 30 Accounts Receivable Tygart 5,000

Sales 5,000

To record sale on credit

Jul 10 Cash 4,900

Accounts Receivable Tygart 4,900

To record receipt of payment in part

Jul 31 Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 100


To write-off accounts as uncollectible

Dec 15 Accounts Receivable Tygart 50


To reinstate amount previously written-off

Dec 15 Cash 50


To record receipt of payment

199


Required:

Using the General Journal and Dec 31 as the date for all transactions, record the a) sales, collections for customers on account, write-off of accounts and bad debt expense for 2010. You may omit explanations for each entry.Assume Accounts Receivable had a debit balance of $35,000 and that the AFDA had a credit balance of $2,500 at the beginning of the year (Jan.1, 2010).Show how the above transactions would be posted in the related T-Accountsb) Show how Accounts Receivable would be reported on the Dec 31, 2010 balance c) sheet after the above entries had been posted.

Note: do not consider cost of goods sold in the above transactions.

Review Exercise Answer

Show how the above transactions would be recorded in the journala)


Dec 31 Cash 70,000


Sales Revenue 350,000

To record sales for the year

Dec 31 Cash 250,000


To record collection of accounts for the year

Dec 31 Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 1,500


To write-off uncollectible account

Dec 31 Accounts Receivable 1,500


To reverse write-off of account

Dec 31 Bad Debts Expense 2,500


To reinstate bad debts for the year

200


Show how the above transactions would be posted in the related T-Accountsb)

Show how accounts receivable would be reported on the Dec 31, 2010 balance c) sheet after the above entries had been posted

Cash$70,000

250,000

$320,000

Sales Revenue$350,000

Allowance for DoubtfulAccounts

$1,500 Beg. Bal.: $2,5001,5002,500

5,000

Bad Debt Expense

2,500

Accounts ReceivableBeg. Bal.: $35,000

280,0001,500

$250,0001,500

$65,000

Current assets: Dec 31, 10 Jan 01, 10

Accounts Receivable $65,000 $35,000

Less: Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 5,000 2,500

Net Accounts Receivable $60,000 $32,500

Chapter 7

147

ACCounts And notes ReCeivAble

Assessment Questions

Question 1

Define accounts receivable.

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______________________________________________________________________________

Question 2

Describe the presentation of accounts receivable on the balance sheet.

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Question 3

What is the crucial record in managing information related to accounts receivable?

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Chapter 7 Exercises Accounts and Notes Receivable

148

Question 4

Explain the relationship between the accounts receivable control account and individual customer accounts in the accounts receivable sub-ledger.

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Question 5

List the names of the alternative methods for accounting for bad debt. Are both methods allowed under GAAP?

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Question 6

Briefly outline the direct write-off method for dealing with bad debt and provide a journal entry example.

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Chapter 7 ExercisesAccounts and Notes Receivable

149

dAte desCRiPtion dR CR

Question 7

Name two different approaches for estimating the bad debt expense when using the AFDA method.

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Question 8

Name two ratios used to assess accounts receivable, and state the formulas used to calculate the ratios.

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Question 9

What are the risks involved when selling on credit?

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150

Question 10

Which method of accounting for bad debt (direct method or allowance method) is more preferable? Support your answer.

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Question 11

If a company uses the allowance method to account for bad debt, which method is best for estimating the allowance: income statement method or balance sheet method?

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151

Question 12

What are the advantages and disadvantages to a company which sells on credit?

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Question 13

What pitfalls exist for a company that uses the Income Statement Approach for recording bad debt expense?

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Question 14

How do you assess the DSO number? The ART ratio?

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152

Question 15

Give two examples of accounting reports that can be generated involving accounts receivable.

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Question 16

What internal controls are important for accounts receivable? Is there any one control that is absolutely necessary?

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153

Question 17

What ethical problems are related to accounts receivable? Can they be avoided?

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Application questions

Question 1

On June 15, you discover that your customer, Tyrone Huntzinger, has gone bankrupt. He owes you $1,000. Prepare the appropriate journal entry assuming the direct method is used.


Question 2

Refer to question 1. Assuming that $5,000 had been credited to the allowance account for the year, prepare the journal entry assuming the allowance method is used.



154

Question 3

Your company decides that an allowance for doubtful accounts is required in the amount of $6,000. There is a zero balance in the account. Prepare the journal entry to set up the required allowance.


Question 4

Your company decides that an allowance for doubtful accounts is required in the amount of $6,000. There is a $4,000 credit balance in the account. Prepare the journal entry to set up the required allowance.


Question 5

Your company decides that an allowance for doubtful accounts is required in the amount of $6,000. There is a $1,000 debit balance in the account. Prepare the journal entry to set up the required allowance.


Question 6

A customers account in the amount of $2,000 was previously written off. Amazingly, on December 31, you receive a check in the mail from the customer with a letter of apology for not paying sooner (the account is 2 years old). Prepare the journal entry by using the allowance method.


155



Question 7

Your company uses the Income Statement Approach for estimating bad debts. Last year, credit sales amounted to $1 million. The estimated bad debts are 0.5% of sales. Prepare the journal entry to record bad debt expense for the year.


Question 8

Your company uses the balance sheet approach to estimate bad debts. Details of the accounts receivable balances owing are shown below:

Aging Categorybad debt % (probability of being uncollectible)

balanceRequired

allowance

Under 30 days 1% 90,000 900

31-60 days 20% 90,000 18,000

Over 60 days 50% 30,000 15,000

Total 210,000 33,900

Write the journal entry to record bad debt expense for the year, assuming that the allowance account has a $20,000 credit balance.


156


Question 9

Wechsler Company has net accounts receivable opening balance of $250,000 and ending balance of $300,000. The total sales amount for the year is $1,700,000. Normal credit terms are 30 days. Calculate the day sales outstanding and the accounts receivable turnover. 80% of the sales are on credit. Comment on the calculated ratios.

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157

Question 10

Lakisha Ogata operates a proprietorship selling machinery. Because of the high value of the machinery sold, Lakisha often requires customers to sign a note. Lakisha originally sold a Gadget machine to Neil Marcin for $10,000 on November 14. The sale was initially recorded as an account receivable, but now Lakisha decides to ask Neil to sign a note. On December 1, Neil signs a one-year note to be paid in quarterly installments, plus 5% interest on the balance outstanding. Lakishas company has a year end of April 30.

Required:

Prepare an amortization schedule showing the interest and payments due on the note. Use the following format:

dateopening balance

interest total PaymentClosing balance

Prepare the journal entries to reflect the transactions related to the receivable and note.

dateopening balance

interest total PaymentClosing balance


158


Question 11

In 2010, Upper Machine Sales Company sold equipment on credit in the amount of $950,000. Total cash collections during the year were $820,000. The company determined that $7,000 of accounts receivable would not be collected and wrote them off. At the end of 2010, management decided to increase its allowance percentage to 1% of credit sales comparing to the 0.5% from last year because of the amount of accounts receivable that proved to be uncollectible during the year. At the end of 2009, the company had $135,000 in Accounts Receivable and a credit balance of $6,000 in Allowance for Doubtful Accounts. Assume the company has a year end of December 31.

Required:

Prepare the necessary journal entries to record all 2010 transactions including sales, a) collection, the write-off, and the new allowance amount. Disregard the dates when recording the transactions.

Show the amount of net accounts receivable on the balance sheet as at b) December 31, 2010.


159

a)

b)

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Question 12

The 2009 and 2010 sales and accounts receivable information for Velcary Company are shown below:

In 2009, sales for the year totalled $1,200,000 with 60% on credit. At December 31 year end, the accounts receivable had a debit balance of $55,000. The management estimated that 0.5% of all credit sales would be uncollectible. The company wrote off $3,100 worth of accounts receivable at the end of the year.

During the year 2010, sales totalled $1,630,000 with 60% on credit. At the end of 2010, Accounts Receivable has a debit balance of $76,000. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts has a debit balance of $4,500. The bad debt expense for the year have not been determined or recorded. After reviewing the write-offs, the company decided that the estimated percentage for AFDA should be increased from 0.5% to 0.75%.



160

Required:

Prepare the journal entry to record the bad debt expense for 2010.a)

Prepare a T-Account for the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and enter all related b) transactions for year 2009 and 2010.

What are the net accounts receivable at the end of 2010? c)

a)

b) AlloWAnCe FoR doubtFul ACCounts

c)

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Question 13

Suppose a company has a bonus plan that rewards managers for achieving a certain level of reported net income. What incentives might management have to influence the estimated amount of uncollectible accounts receivable?

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161

Question 14

Nortelle Canada operates in an industry that has a high rate of bad debts. Before the year end adjustments, Nortelle Canadas Accounts Receivable has a debit balance of $536,000 and the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts had a credit balance of $20,000. The year-end balance reported on the balance sheet for the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts will be based on the aging schedule shown below:

Required:

What is the balance for the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts at year end?a)

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Prepare the journal entry to record bad debt expense for the yearb)

Aging Category bad debt % balance

Less than 16 days 2% $300,000

16 30 days 3% 100,000

31 45 days 5% 75,000

46 60 days 10% 32,000

61 75 days 20% 18,000

Over 75 days 40% 11,000

Aging Category bad debt % balanceestimated Amount

of bad debt

Less than 16 days 2% $300,000

16 30 days 3% 100,000

31 45 days 5% 75,000

46 60 days 10% 32,000

61 75 days 20% 18,000

Over 75 days 40% 11,000



162

Question 15

A companys relevant accounts receivable information for year 2010 and 2011 is provided below:

2011 2010

Average Net Accounts Receivable $1,486,739 $1,769,032

Net Credit Sales 23,075,635 22,107,539

Calculate the Accounts Receivable Turnover Ratio for year 2010 and 2011. a)

Calculate the Days Sales Outstanding for year 2010 and 2011.b)

Compare and discuss the results.c)

Question 15 answer

a) __________________________________________________________________________

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b) __________________________________________________________________________

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c) __________________________________________________________________________

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163

Question 16

The following information relevant to accounts receivable is presented for Dommar Company (in thousands of dollars):

2011 2010 2009

Accounts Receivable $319 $422 $501

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 19 18 20

Net Credit Sales $4,377 $3,598 $2,937

Required:

Calculate the Accounts Receivable Turnover Ratio for year 2010 and 2011.a)

Calculate the Day Sales Outstanding for year 2010 and 2011.b)

At the 2010 year end, Dommar Company agreed to sell some of its accounts c) receivable with a fee paid to the purchaser. Why do you think a company would pay a fee to sell its accounts receivable?

Dommar Company sold the accounts receivable on a limited recourse basis. d) Research and define the meaning of selling on a limited recourse basis.

a) __________________________________________________________________________

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b) __________________________________________________________________________

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c) __________________________________________________________________________

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164

d) __________________________________________________________________________

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Question 17

On May 1, 2010, Peoples Networks sold computer networking supplies to Canadian Autos for $36,000. The cost of the supplies is $15,000. Instead of paying immediately, Canadian Autos signed a note receivable with 11% annual interest, payable in eight months with the principle amount. Peoples Networks has a year end of October 31.

Required:

Record the journal entry when the sale is made; assume Peoples Networks uses the a) perpetual inventory system.

Prepare journal entries for the year end adjustment.b)

Prepare journal entries for receipt of payment from Canadian Autos on January 1, c) 2011.

What items would be included on the balance sheet and income statement of d) Peoples Networks as at October 31, 2010 with respect to this note?

Question 17 answer

a) dAte desCRiPtion dR CR

b) dAte desCRiPtion dR CR


165

c) dAte desCRiPtion dR CR

d)

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Question 18

On January 1, 2010, Beta Company determined that it would not be able to pay the account receivable that was owed to Star Inc. Beta Company was confident that it would have sufficient cash one year later, therefore signed a one-year note payable for the $10,000 that was owed. The annual interest rate is 9%, payable on July 1 and January 1. Star Inc. has a year end of June 30.

Required:

Record journal entries for Star Inc. when the note is signed. a)

Prepare journal entries for the year end adjustment.b)

Prepare journal entries for the receipt of first interest payment. c)

Prepare journal entries for receipt of payment from Beta Company on January 1, d) 2011.

a) dAte desCRiPtion dR CR


166

b) dAte desCRiPtion dR CR

c) dAte desCRiPtion dR CR

d) dAte desCRiPtion dR CR

Case

You are the Chief Financial Officer for Stanton Feery and Company. Mr. Stantons friend, Shad Baxtor, is starting up a new company, and needs some advice on accounts receivable and bad debt accounting practices. Mr. Stanton has asked you to meet with Mr. Baxtor, and answer a few questions. He hands you a list of things that Shad Baxtor wants clarified.

Here is the handwritten list:

What are accounts receivable?What are bad debts?When are amounts considered bad debts?Are there different ways of accounting for bad debt expenses?How are bad debts shown on the financial statements?Which method is best for accounting for bad debts?What kind of reports are important for accounts receivable?What is an ageing list?What is the difference between a credit sale and a cash sale?How can you assess the quality of accounts receivable?Should I sell on credit? Are there risks involved?


167

What are accounts receivable?

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What are bad debts?

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When are amounts considered bad debts?

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Are there different ways of accounting for bad debt expenses?

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How are bad debts shown on the financial statements?

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Which method is best for accounting for bad debts?

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What kind of reports are important for accounts receivable?

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168

What is an aging list?

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What is the difference between a credit sale and a cash sale?

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How can you assess the quality of accounts receivable?

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Should I sell on credit? Are there risks involved?

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Documents

Accounts and Notes Receivable Notes